Re: Future of IANA (and IETF)

[Dave Crocker <dcrocker at brandenburg.com>]

At 03:29 PM 2/3/98 -0800, Kent Crispin wrote:
>I will be a little more specific:  The model I have long advocated is 
>that there be an authority (let's call it the Root Zone Authority, or RZA) 
>that approves what I have called "charters" for new TLDs.  Anyone can 
>propose a charter, but obviously there would be basic requirements 
>that must be met (running on a cost-recovery basis, and sharing, for 
>example). 

I, too, have long and publicly advised that those wishing to offer TLD
service should formulate a proposal and pursue it, with IANA.  It has been
interesting to observe that critics of the gTLD MoU have been more
interested in being critics than in doing the legwork to develop such a
proposal and develop support for it.

As to the type of organization and structure which I personally believe
should be approved, I'd say that Kent's description is exactly, right,
except that I believe the TLD management entity must have an explicit
public-interest oversight function, as well as being required to operate on
a strict cost-recovery basis.  This is along with having a legal charter
and operating an open shared registrar scheme.  

Given the remarkable willingness of Magaziner to permit NSI a conflict of
interest by being both the registry operator and a registrar, I need to
also add that the entity running the registry must not also act as a
registrar.

d/

ps.  I described all this to Magaziner in early December, with POC members
present and largely supportive of the proposal.  Ira decided to pay more
attention to the desires of those wishing to make profits off of registries
than for the concern about REAL stability of operations or concern for
end-user benefits.

--------------------
Dave Crocker                                          +1 408 246 8253
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